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We always talk about projects and far away trips to reach our dreams. Some plan years in advance THE trip of their lives, others sacrifice on a daily basis in order to finance a few moves on a dream wave on the other side of the world. Travelling has always been a fascination for the waterman/ surf lovers. It’s the promise of a new sensation, a call to let yourself go and the accomplishment of your dreams, or, simply, riding your board on warmer water, more beautiful locations, in the middle of the unknown.

It’s always our passion to windsurf that pushes us to go away, despite the inconveniences of carrying heavy equipment. But that pain of checking in massive board bags can discourage more than one windsurfer… and I’m one of them!

Nonetheless, compromises do exist and they don’t make it any less exciting. Europe – our continent – offers road trips with windsurf jewels as great as the other side of the world. Stuck at home for more than a year because of an endless knee rehab, I find myself at the moment where, finally, I can jump once again into my footstraps. Not an easy task to erase the fear of re-injury and find the perfect conditions to ease back into windsurfing at home. I don’t want to fly and most of all; I have no time to go far away for too long. After surfing randomly on google maps, I notice that the south of Portugal offers similar aspects with places from afar such as Morocco or Chile that already attracted me before…. No more time to lose, after consulting the forecast and getting in touch with a few locals via Facebook; I take the decision to go on a solo road trip in my van, just like the old days. Of course I take with me all my toys (surfboards, SUP) because you never know what awaits. And when you think about it, it’s not such a big deal if you don’t find the perfect conditions, when you have the chance to discover new places, new smells, and also know that if you don’t like it, you’re free to go home whenever you feel like it.

After a few hours on the road from my home in France, a few Tapas breaks through Spain, the soft melodies of Motörhead in my ears… some Pink Floyd also to rest my brain, I finally arrive to the promised land at the same time as the reddish light in the sky.

First goal reached, I arrived to a beach called Amoreira. With its unique surroundings and an endless summer abandoned by the tourists, I already feel that I’ve been further than expected… far away from home.

The waves are small but enough to score a nice SUP session. Sleeping in the van that night, I reconnect with the essence of a windsurf trip. Rediscovering the joy of holidays in a caravan just like when I was a kid. Knowing that we can switch our surroundings everyday and without any restrictions and listening to the sound of the breaking waves when the sun is not even up is the best motivation to leave your cosy bed and rig up.

The water is cold here; especially early in the morning, but the scenery and the sun make up for it and give my first session a true taste of discovery and adventure. On a trip, whether you’re far or close from home, you have to be patient and trust your lucky stars. While waiting for the wind, the Algarve offers the possibilities to enjoy an area that has kept all its authenticity. All of the west coast has been well preserved because of its location in a national park. Villages are still villages. There are no big condominiums due to massive tourism, and I love it like that. In every colourful village painted by the traditional white and blue, you’ll have the chance to eat well. It’s not expensive especially if you compare it to the crowded beaches in France.

You let yourself be balanced by the local style, and enjoy this atypic rhythm only found when travelling to a new destination… and that you must first acclimatize with to later fully appreciate.

Then finally the beautiful day has arrived. I’d chased a forecast to a spot further south and the wind started shaking my van in the middle of the night where I was parked on top of the cliff above the beach of Carapateira. Early in the morning, the sweet sensation of the D day can be felt. A side off wind is blowing. A perfect blue water stained by white spots that only windsurfers know the significance of. After a quick breakfast, the equipment is out, and even though no other windsurfers have arrived, I am ready to brave this virgin spot.

A bit of stress gets to me, but it’s the good kind. The small fear you feel when you put on your carbon brace on an injured knee and adjust the footstraps. The inconvenience to relearn how to carry your equipment from the car park to the ocean (a long walk isn’t the best warm up when you’re not used to it anymore).

Then finally, just like riding a bike, everything falls back into place after riding the first few metres in the water. The sound, the sensations… and new equipment that takes a while to get used to but rewards with easier and more performance, year after year. The first wave, the first bottom turn. Slowly to start, you don’t want to run before you can walk. Then comes the first commitment, a small aerial (the exact same one that cost me so much a year ago and broke my knee). A nice wipe out in a very late off the lip… yes, that’s right… no pain no gain.

After 90 minutes of riding, my arms give up. No more power, I can’t hold my boom anymore and I’m not even talking about the blisters in my hands. A good reminder of what windsurfing is all about – when the pain flirts closely with pleasure… the sign of a true passion. That same madness that pushes us to act spontaneously…act on the idea of letting myself go on this road trip where escaping has taken more importance than anything else in my mind. There are so many places that depending on the right forecast can turn into a dream destination. The toys that we can use nowadays and the culture of the ocean push us to play even more either with a SUP or windsurfer, knowing that we’ll go in the water even if the conditions aren’t perfect. Knowing that very close to home there are still some playgrounds calling for adventure.  Yes I know, some say there aren’t any virgin spots anymore. That Portugal is overrated. Might be true but when it’s your first time, it is always a discovery.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION 

Algarve is a year round destination. Water temperature is almost the same all year long. Wear a 3/2 or 4/3 in the winter. Usually no booties needed.

West facing coast + south facing coast make it very versatile regarding wind orientation. Also, on a bigger swell, the south coast offers smaller waves unless you get a south swell.

Some freestyle flat water spots on the south coast too.

There are plenty of bed and breakfasts, very affordable as long as you go off season (outside of July / August). There are plenty of touristic sites to discover and coast to explore. If the wind is not there, you always can find a SUP spot and if it is flat and sunny, there are many areas where you can do SUP touring to discover the beauty of the coast. If camping, mosquitoes are ready for you right after sunset but they usually calm down at night.

The spot of Carapateira is one of the best for windsurfing, but you might find other jewels depending on the wind’s orientation. On westerly winds head to the south coast. If south or north wind, you might find nice side offshore spots on the west coast.

Rain can occur but as Algarve is a point, the weather can change very fast and you can have rain on the west coast while fully sunny on the south…and vice versa 🙂

Most of the time Windguru is spot on but better to talk with the locals for specific advice on conditions 🙂

Some say there aren’t any virgin spots anymore. That Portugal is overrated. Might be true but when it’s your first time, it is always a discovery.